A CHRISTIAN FRIEND OR FRAUD (2 OF 4)
by Keith Krell
Scripture: 3 John 1:1-15, 3
This content is part of a series.
A Christian Friend or Fraud (2 of 4)
Series: Summer Postcards
Keith Krell
3 John 1-15
How faithful do you have to be in order to be faithful? If your car starts two out of three times, do you think it's faithful? If your mail carrier skips delivery once a week, is he faithful? What if you don't go to work twice a month? If you miss a couple of house payments a year, does the bank say, ''Ten out of twelve isn't bad?'' No, a great deal more ''faithfulness'' is required in these areas.
How faithful do we have to be in our Christian walk? What does it look like to be a faithful friend and a faithful believer? Since we're all far from perfect, how can we know if we're characterized by faithfulness? The apostle John wrote the letter of 3 John to Gaius commending him for his faithful Christian walk. John then castigated, Diotrephes, a divisive local church power broker and praised Demetrius, a faithful man of God. Third John is often called, ''A Tale of Three Men'': Gaius, Diotrephes, and Demetrius. But it's so much more. It's a letter about faithfulness, or lack thereof. John wanted Gaius and everyone who would read this letter to be as faithful as the daily mail in both their actions and their beliefs.
Third John is the shortest book in the entire Bible. It's also likely the least preached book in the entire New Testament. It's the lost and forgotten letter. In 1 John the apostle discusses fellowship with God; in 2 John he forbids fellowship with false teachers; and in 3 John he encourages fellowship with Christian brothers. Second John deals with the question: ''What should you do when false teachers come knocking at your door?'' Third John deals with the opposite question: ''What should you do when godly teachers come to your door?'' Second John involves truth in action; 3 John concerns love in action. At issue is Christian hospitality, as evidence that one is ''walking in the truth.'' The gist of what John says in this letter is: We must have open h ...
Series: Summer Postcards
Keith Krell
3 John 1-15
How faithful do you have to be in order to be faithful? If your car starts two out of three times, do you think it's faithful? If your mail carrier skips delivery once a week, is he faithful? What if you don't go to work twice a month? If you miss a couple of house payments a year, does the bank say, ''Ten out of twelve isn't bad?'' No, a great deal more ''faithfulness'' is required in these areas.
How faithful do we have to be in our Christian walk? What does it look like to be a faithful friend and a faithful believer? Since we're all far from perfect, how can we know if we're characterized by faithfulness? The apostle John wrote the letter of 3 John to Gaius commending him for his faithful Christian walk. John then castigated, Diotrephes, a divisive local church power broker and praised Demetrius, a faithful man of God. Third John is often called, ''A Tale of Three Men'': Gaius, Diotrephes, and Demetrius. But it's so much more. It's a letter about faithfulness, or lack thereof. John wanted Gaius and everyone who would read this letter to be as faithful as the daily mail in both their actions and their beliefs.
Third John is the shortest book in the entire Bible. It's also likely the least preached book in the entire New Testament. It's the lost and forgotten letter. In 1 John the apostle discusses fellowship with God; in 2 John he forbids fellowship with false teachers; and in 3 John he encourages fellowship with Christian brothers. Second John deals with the question: ''What should you do when false teachers come knocking at your door?'' Third John deals with the opposite question: ''What should you do when godly teachers come to your door?'' Second John involves truth in action; 3 John concerns love in action. At issue is Christian hospitality, as evidence that one is ''walking in the truth.'' The gist of what John says in this letter is: We must have open h ...
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